Recruitment News and Views

Sometimes you just need to take a pay cut!

We’d all love to see our wages increase and increase again, but as we all know, in true reality that doesn’t happen to all of us. There are times when it is wise to hold out for a raise, however there are other times when you should give up the hope and take a pay cut. Surely enjoying what you do counts for more than the money you’re being paid, here are some examples of when you should focus less on the money.

You’re changing careersSometimes you can move seamlessly from one career to another without worrying about your wages, however if you’re changing career there may be new skills and techniques to learn and you’ll start your new job at a lower level than the job you left, therefore your pay will probably decrease.

You’re feeling exhaustedIf you go home exhausted every night and you’re working at the edge of your ability, it may be the right time to find a new job that doesn’t demand so much from you. High stress levels can affect your health and relationships. Sometimes it’s worth being paid less to make a happier you.

You want more flexibilityOne of the reasons why women earn less than men is that women value flexibility over salary. If you want more flexibility, more free time in your life, you will have to buy it with a lower salary as you’ll be working for less hours. Telecommuting, flexible schedules or increased vacations are all reasons to take a lower salary.

You want to work fewer hoursThe federal government defines full time as 30 hours per week when it is talking about the Affordable Care Act. You’re eligible for overtime after you hit 40 hours if you’re not exempt from overtime laws. But if you’re a salaried exempt employee, a full-time job can range from 30 hours a week to 168 hours a week. Plenty of people regularly work 60 hours a week or more. You may look at salaries and think “that’s a full-time job, this is a full-time job, why isn’t the pay the same?” Well, because the workload can vary tremendously. If you want to be on the lower end of full-time work hours, prepare for a salary cut.

You want to stop managing peopleTypically managers earn more than those they manage. If you love being a manager that’s great however, if you find it tedious, annoying and it’s stressing you out then perhaps it’s time to step back, of course this will come with reduced pay, however you’ll feel happier in life.

What are your thought on this?
Would you lower your wages for the reasons above?
Let us know by commenting below!